Amazing footwear packaging, via Lovely Package.

I’ve read a lot on the unveiling of Starbucks’ new logo in the past week and wanted to hold off expressing my initial nod of approval until I had some time to mull it over. That being said, I stand by my opinion that the rebranding is a smart move.

I think the argument I hear most often against the change is “what does a mermaid have to do with coffee?”

What does an apple have to do with a computer? What does a check mark have to do with running shoes?  Whether it makes sense to you or not, with or without the circle of type that reads “Starbucks Coffee,” you have come to associate the siren with the brand, and their understanding of this has lent itself to a simpler, more iconic logo. I also love that they capitalize on what has become their signature green. As Bobby at The Fox is Black points out, if you see someone wearing a green apron, you instantly know where they work. Utilizing that recognizability in their brand strategy is smart.

I’d personally like to see them take it even further in the future. How cool would it be to see that bright green on their lids or coffee collars? It might even be great on their cups, if only for the holidays.

More thoughts on the rebranding:

• Brand New
• And Far Away (Starbucks in Saudi Arabia)
• Steven Heller (New York Times)
• The Guardian

All design aside, I’ll stick to my local coffee shop for my caffeine fix.

Yesterday, one of my favorite working designers, Jessica Hische, posted this great flow-chart on her personal conditions for taking on a project without pay.

That’s great for already-successful designers, but more often than not, students are expected to work for free. I hear a lot of debate from both sides of the issue: my mom and design professor think it’s generally unreasonable to offer an unpaid position. I can understand the logic behind their views; they hold that if you are helping someone, you should be compensated.

The reality of being a student in today’s economic environment, particularly in a field as competitive as graphic design, however, tells me a different story, and gives me a philosophy that I feel strongly about. Compensation isn’t always monetary, and there is a lot to be said about the virtues of someone who will work for experience alone. So I compiled a kind of “checklist” for students like me who take and even seek out unpaid internships.

1. Pay attention to the details
I knew right away that I wanted my current internship for a variety of obvious reasons, but I felt good about applying because of the way I was treated throughout the process. Even in the job listing, my boss signed off with “best” and gave her direct line for questions. Pay attention to these details! If the job listing says “We need a design student to be our intern. Unpaid. Drop your resume here,” think twice before applying. An employer worth your time will be upfront with you about what the position entails and should be personable if you are granted an interview. If they act as though the interview is not worth their time, do not accept. A good boss will remember what it was like to be a student and appreciate the help you are offering them.

2. Believe in the organization
I don’t know a lot of people who could feel great about putting in unpaid hours for a multimillion dollar corporation that abuses workers abroad. Working free for a non-profit or small business, however, can be a truly rewarding experience, and one that hosts a more personal atmosphere. If you do have to resort to the former, at least make sure the organization’s name will provide enough of a boost to your resume to be worth it- and that the people you directly work with have better morals than the tycoons who run the place.

3. Take pride in a job well done
Chances are, if you have been hired to work for free, your employer is not going to ask you to head up a major project, or even a minor one. Accept that before you begin, and complete whatever tasks you are assigned with great care and respect. No task is unimportant enough to be done poorly. Setting high standards for all of your work, no matter how irrelevant it may seem, keeps you motivated and teaches you to focus on the process instead of the payoff (a good mindset to keep for when you are eventually salaried).

4. Get to work
A position that does not pay is not a position in which to slack off. Think about it this way: after your internship is done, what will you have to show for it? In an unpaid position, this will not include a surplus of funds in your bank account. Sure, you can put in minimal effort and have an extra line under “work experience” on your resume. But if you really take advantage of this opportunity, you can also leave with some great references, a new skill set, and a work ethic that makes you a better candidate for paid positions. Show up on time (early if you can), offer to stay late, and maintain a good attitude. It won’t go unnoticed.

(On a related note, check out David Airey’s post on unpaid internships. And if you are a Wisconsin student looking for a great internship, check out the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in the future. They have provided me with an amazing position and are a fantastic group of people who will treat you like gold.)

Born in Jerusalem and living in New York, Elinor Carucci has a great body of work. I love her the eerie ambience her photos project. She currently has some work at MoMA in their exhibition Pictures of Women.

Via BOOOOOOM!

Reading Apartment Therapy in my RSS feed makes me wish that I had an apartment I could really decorate (and a pretty hefty budget to do so). Of course, I scour the updates for little bits of charm that are cheap, impermanent, and likely to go over well with my roommates.

I love the idea of hanging mugs, especially considering how often we use them in our place. Between coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and sometimes ice cream, they easily comprise the majority of our dirty dishes. Considering that we have a set of six Pantone mugs and our future kitchen is in desperate need of color, I’m going to have to ask Maegan what she thinks.

A bit reminiscent of Julia Child’s pegboard-bound hanging cookware, no? (I have also been wanting to put the staples of my pantry in ball jars forever.)

See the original post here.

I recently discovered the website of Madison-based design collective Animal Canon, which hosts an unbelievable portfolio of screenprinted work. I’ve seen some of their posters hanging around the humanities buildings before, but never knew who was responsible. It’s pretty great to see some Wisconsin alums producing work this tight. Now all I want is some free time in the serigraphy lab.

See more work on their website (here).

My family and I have been spending my winter break where we have always spent free stretches of time: at the movie theatre. Mark and Paula, my parents, are notorious for the number of movies they see at the box office, and I am more than willing to entertain their hobby. Throw in my boyfriend and brother, who are definitely film buffs, and we have one happy moviegoing unit.

This particular Oscar season is rife with some fantastic contenders. My favorites have great posters as well. It’s surprising to me how often major films are accompanied by posters that appear to have been designed by a hack with Photoshop Elements. I refuse to understand why studios willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a movie are equally inclined to market their productions with design atrocities. Surely an image intended to become ubiquitous, not only in theatre display cases but also eventually covering DVDs, billboards, and the like, is worth the time and money it takes to find a suitably talented designer.

I am glad to see these recent releases that are taking this aspect of their marketing seriously. They may not be masterpieces in and of themselves, but they are leagues beyond the standard and informed by a sophisticated aesthetic.

Stunning redesign of Icon by Ken Leung, who previously art directed Monocle.

Via Quipsologies.